SHAW and Crompton Parish Council will be asked to support moves to make sure the town retains its rail service, despite the Metrolink blow.

Councillor Val Pemberton is to submit a motion at the next parish council meeting instructing the clerk to write to the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority.

She said: "I think the Metrolink should go ahead, despite the government saying it hasn't the money to fund it."

"We've got to look at this from all angles."

"The Metrolink will be a good thing for Oldham and if Oldham is doing well then businesses might expand to Shaw which can only be a good thing for the town."

Parish council chairman Phelyp Bennett described the funding pull-out as a disaster.

He said "Shaw is probably the busiest station on the Oldham Loop, even busier than Oldham."

"What we have to do is make sure we retain our existing rail service even if Metrolink is shelved."

Borough councillor John Dillon has called for a statement from the department of transport and Network Rail that the line through Shaw will operate beyond May 2005.

That was the date pencilled in for closure to heavy rail, to allow its conversion to Metrolink.

The Crompton ward representative, who is also Oldham Council's shadow cabinet member for environment and transportation, said at the moment the line was 'in limbo'.

"I understand at the moment Network Rail has no budget for the railway line after May 2005."

"It is vital that the department of transport guarantees funding past that date to keep the line open, pending discussions between various parties."

Councillor Dillon, who is also a member of the rail pressure group Storm - Support the Oldham, Rochdale and Manchester line - added that the matter was further complicated because a new signal box is to be built at Rochdale and current plans exclude trains coming off the Oldham Loop.

He says the new franchise for Northern Railways, which will replace First North Western round the Oldham Loop in October, also needs to make provision for trains and crews to provide services beyond next May.